Hailey Swirbul

Quick Facts

• Specialty: Women's Cross-Country Skiing (Distance & Classic)
• Swirbul's brother Keegan, a professional road cyclist, introduced her to cross-country skiing as winter cross-training for mountain biking
• Graduated from the University of Alaska Anchorage with a degree in civil engineering
• Enjoys baking, oil painting, fly fishing and studying
• Advocates for gender equality in coaching through her participation with the Women Ski Coaches Association

Biographical Information

Growing up in El Jebel in Colorado's Roaring Fork Valley, Hailey Swirbul initially focused on mountain biking and mogul skiing. Her transition to cross-country skiing came through her older brother Keegan, who convinced her to try Nordic skiing as winter cross-training. At roughly 10 years old, Swirbul finished on the podium in her first cross-country race and realized she had found her calling. She developed her skills with the Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club before heading to the University of Alaska Anchorage, where she balanced competitive skiing with earning a civil engineering degree while training with Alaska Pacific University.

Swirbul announced her arrival on the international stage at the 2017 Junior World Championships in Soldier Hollow, Utah, where she joined Julia Kern, Hannah Halvorsen and Katharine Ogden to win bronze in the relay, marking the first-ever medal for the United States at junior worlds. The following year at the 2018 Junior World Championships in Goms, Switzerland, Swirbul became the only American skier to win two individual medals at a single junior worlds, capturing silver in the five-kilometer classic and bronze in the skiathlon. Her rapid ascent continued at the world cup, where she earned her first podium in December 2020 with a third-place finish in the 10-kilometer freestyle in Davos, Switzerland. That same season, she competed in her first Tour de Ski, finishing 18th overall and demonstrating her ability to handle the grueling multi-stage race format.

Swirbul represented the United States at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, competing in multiple events including the women's 4x5-kilometer relay. She also competed at two world championships in 2021 and 2023, consistently performing among the sport's elite. However, Swirbul announced her retirement from world cup racing in 2023 at just 24 years old, following the 2023 World Cup Finals in Lahti, Finland. Burnout from the pressures of competing at the highest level, compounded by the challenges still lingering from the COVID-19 pandemic, led her to step away from the sport to explore life beyond skiing. She sold most of her equipment, worked at an engineering firm and served as a ski patrol in Colorado.

In 2025, Swirbul joined Alaska Pacific University as a coach for the junior program and later the elite team. Training alongside America's best skiers reignited her competitive fire. Teammates Novie McCabe and Luke Jager jokingly asked if she was planning a Michael Jordan-style comeback, and after reading Oliver Burkeman's book "Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals," Swirbul decided to take the risk. She returned to competition in December 2025, winning the U.S. national championship in the 10-kilometer classic and securing multiple SuperTour victories. Her comeback earned her a spot on the U.S. Olympic team for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, marking her second Olympic appearance.

Beyond her athletic achievements, Swirbul is passionate about developing the next generation of skiers and promoting gender equality in coaching. As a coach at APU, she mentors young skiers while continuing to train at the elite level. Swirbul advocates for qualified women coaches through her work with the Women Ski Coaches Association, addressing the wage gap and ensuring equal consideration for coaching positions. 

Olympic Experience

• 2-time Olympian
• Olympic Games Milan 2026, 39th (10km Freestyle - Women)
• Olympic Games Beijing 2022, 6th (4 x 5km Relay - Women), 32th (10km Classic Style - Women), 40th (2 x 7.5km Skiathlon - Women)

World Championships Experience

• Most recent: 2023 – 5th (4 x 5km Relay - Women), 18th (30km Classic Style - Women), 26th (2 x 7.5km Skiathlon - Women), 33th (Sprint Classic Style - Women)
• Years of participation: 2 x 7.5km Skiathlon - Women 2021, 2023; 30km Classic Style - Women 2021, 2023; 4 x 5km Relay - Women 2021, 2023; Sprint Classic Style - Women 2023
• Top finish: 4th – 2021 (4 x 5km Relay - Women)